Thank You
by Sakuya Nanako
Summary: Ikuto is sick, and what happens when he meets Amu while out shopping? I tried by best! It's my first story, and i hope you like it :D
1. The Grocery Store

Shugo Chara Fanfic! Amuto

The curtains draped in front of the window did nothing to block the morning sunlight from streaming in. Ikuto Tsukiyomi buried his head under the covers to try to get back to sleep, to escape the sunlight that threatened to drag him back from the dream world. He didn't particularly like his life at the moment. He was totally helpless… he worked for Easter, and he hated it. The worst part (or one of them) was that he couldn't do a think about it.

At this point, the sun had made the room so bright, it was impossible for him to get back to sleep. He didn't want to get up yet, especially this morning… he felt a little funny… he sat up and his head immediately started pounding. "Ugh…" he gripped his head, trying to suppress the pain. Yoru noticed this and worriedly floated up to Ikuto.

"Ikuto…? Are you okay nyah?"

"Y-yeah, fine."

He swung his legs out of bed. His head hurt…

Half an hour later, Ikuto pulled on his jacket, stepped out the door, and locked it behind him. Yoru floated after him.

"Are you sure you should be going out? You look a bit pale… and you forgot your scarf, nyah."

"I'm fine Yoru. I already told you that."

Yoru could tell he was lying. He'd been acting funny all morning. Ikuto coughed.

"Where are we going nyah?"

"Hmm? Oh, I just needed to get some shopping done. We need a few groceries… maybe some new clothes."

"You should be saving your money nyah. You know how broke we always are nyah."

Ikuto sighed. "I _do_ save my money. But we need food and clothes." Suddenly, the world started to spin… he couldn't see straight, and his knees felt kind of weak… he leaned against a tree for support.

"Ikuto! What's wrong nyah?!"

"I-I'm just a little dizzy… Let's go." The dizziness began to subside a little, and Ikuto was able to stand on his own.

They finally arrived at the store, Ikuto coughing into him arm. He headed toward the produce section, the dizziness coming back. Suddenly, he bumped into something… "Ow!" said a girl's voice.

Ikuto looked down to see a young girl with pink hair sitting on the floor… Amu!

"Oh! Ikuto-kun! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Um… shopping. What else do you do in a grocery store?"

She blushed. "Stop it… you're always teasing me and it gets on my nerves!"

"Whatever." Ikuto stumbled away. The dizziness was getting worse… he felt too sick to deal with her. He thought of buying fish… suddenly, the whole thought of food made him nauseous… he had to get out of the store…

"Hey, since you're here, do you want to shop together?" Amu suggested. She seemed to have forgiven him.

"I-I actually have to go…" another wave of dizziness swept over him.

"Ikuto-kun… you don't look so good…" said Amu worriedly.

"I'm fine… I'll see you later."

"W-wait…"

He turned away again and made his way toward the door

Amu knew that something was definitely not right… Normally, he would've said something like "What? Afraid to miss me?" but he did not take advantage of this opportunity for teasing.

"Ikuto-kun!" Amu called after his back, clothed in a black jacket that didn't look very warm. She ran after him and grabbed his hand in an attempt to stop him. She was surprised at how hot it was.

He pulled his hand from hers.

"Don't follow me." He commanded her.

She shrank back, confused and upset. Why was he snapping at her now, when he usually made advances on her? Ikuto took off with a cat-like speed and disappeared from the grocery store.

Amu looked down. Something didn't feel right…

"Amu-chan!" called a voice. She looked up to see Yoru floating in front of her.

"Yoru!"

"Amu-chan, I think something's wrong with Ikuto nyah!"

"What? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know nyah! He's been acting sick all morning… I don't know what to do, he hasn't been ill in a long time nyah!"

Now Amu was especially worried.

"I'll look for him with you, Yoru. Don't worry, it'll be fine." She had the strange urge to comfort the small chara, knowing how much he loved Ikuto.

"Do you think he went home?" asked Amu.

"N-no… he knows we'd look for him there nyah… He's probably just wandering around…"

They exited the store and proceeded to search for a half an hour. There was no trace of Ikuto.

Each breath of cold air he took burned his throat and lungs. It was definitely below freezing. _I should have listened to Yoru and brought my scarf…_ Ikuto thought, shivering. He was running along the top of a wall. He didn't want to be found by them… he wasn't in the mood to interact with anyone, not even his own chara. And most of all, he didn't want Amu to worry about him.

"Ugh…" he jumped down to the other side of the wall as fresh nausea and dizziness washed over him. He felt terrible… his head pounded, making it hard to think. He leaned against the back of the wall, coughing. The dizziness increased, and he sank to the ground. Suddenly his ears perked.

"Ikuto-kun! Ikuto-kun!" Amu called. She was obviously looking for him. He weakly stumbled to his feet, the world spinning. He had to get away…

His legs felt as if they were made of rubber… he knew he couldn't run away much longer.

"Ikuto-kun! Yoru, I found him!" She called over her shoulder. She turned back to Ikuto. "Why'd you run?! I was so worried!"

His stomach turned… The world spun wildly… he collapsed onto the ground.

"Ikuto!!" yelled both Amu and Yoru, panicking. Amu dropped to the ground and put a hand to his forehead.

"You're burning up! I'm taking you back to my place!" Ikuto felt too dizzy and nauseous to reply.

"Why did you hide it?! If you're sick, you should ask for help! Shouldn't that be common sense, baka?!"

She draped Ikuto over her back and stumbled all the way back to her home, Yoru floating behind her worriedly.

"Mom! I need help over here!" She called as she walked in the door.

There was no answer. "MOM!" she called again. Again she was answered with silence, and then she noticed the note on the table. _Amu-chan,_ it read, _your father, Ami-chan, and I went out shopping, so we'll be back at around 9:00. Love you, -Mama._ 'Great, just my luck…' thought Amu. 'Who shops until 9:00, anyway? That's crazy!'

With Ikuto still half-conscious on her shoulder, she dragged him up the stairs and deposited him in her bed. That was when she finally had the chance to get a good look at him. He was pale, except for the flush in his cheeks, and he was shivering as if he was freezing.

"I-Ikuto-kun…?" she called his name worriedly, feeling his forehead. It was still hot, and Amu pulled the covers over him, trying to get him to stop shivering. She turned to Yoru. "Can you stay here and watch him? I want him to take medicine, so I need to make him something to eat." Yoru nodded, looking scared.

When Amu returned half an hour later with food, medicine, and a thermometer, Ikuto had kicked off all the blankets and was now sweating.

"He suddenly got really hot…" explained Yoru. Amu felt his forehead a third time, and drew back in shock.

"His fever went up! What should I do?!" She cried, starting to panic. She took a deep breath. "O-okay. Food, then medicine." She shook his shoulder gently.

"I-Ikuto-kun, I need you to eat this for me." She said softly. He opened his eyes slightly and groaned.

"I'm not hungry…"

"Please, just eat it, or you won't get better! And if you don't get better then… then… I just don't know what I'll do! Please!" Amu pleaded.

Ikuto scrunched his eyes shut. He didn't want to hurt her… He sighed, and then tried to sit up, although his arms did nothing to support him.

"Thank you… thank you…" Amu said quietly.

Ikuto quickly drank the soup and medicine and fell back into a fitful sleep.

Amu stayed by his bedside as he slept, becoming increasingly more sleepy herself. She found herself nodding off, and tried to stay awake, but her head kept falling and her eyes closing. She finally gave in and slept. Half and hour later, she awoke, feeling as if something was not right. She raised her head to find Ikuto curled up in a ball, clutching his stomach.

"Ikuto-kun?! What's wrong?!"

"I… my… my stomach…"

"Are you okay?"

"I think I'm going to—"

His stomach churned… he dashed to the bathroom, dropped to his knees, and vomited. When he thought he had finished, he raised his head weakly. Amu was rubbing his back gently, and she flushed the toilet, cleaning up the mess. Ikuto felt better for a few minutes, but then laid his head on his arms, feeling the nausea slowly returning. They sat there for minutes, Amu massaging his back. Suddenly, his stomach heaved and he found himself throwing up again. He tried to apologize, fearing she'd get mad, too… he could almost hear his father shouting at him for getting sick… I'm sorry… it just came out as a weak cough. Amu could see the fear in his eyes, and it saddened her. There was nothing to be scared of; she was there for him… She held his hair out of his face, and she whispered "It's all right" into his ear, hoping to comfort him.

Half an hour later, Amu helped him back into bed, his stomach empty. He was exhausted, and he fell asleep almost immediately. Amu left a glass of water on the bedside table for him.

9:00 came slowly, and Amu rushed downstairs as her family arrived.

"Mama!"

"Amu, such a warm welcome. How are you?"

"I'm fine mama, but Ikuto-kun isn't. He's upstairs, he's really sick…"

Amu and her mother ran up the stairs to her room.

"I… I don't know what to do… I gave him something to eat so he could take medicine, but he threw up, so I don't know if it worked or not!" She sobbed. "He has a fever… what-what else should I d-do?"

"It's okay. You did fine Amu. All we can do now is give him more medicine and wait for him to get better. But you might have to sleep on the couch for a while…"

"O-okay. Thank you mama…"

But that night, Amu couldn't sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about Ikuto… right now, he was all alone in a dark room, sick… 'He… he must be so lonely…' she realized. 'His family is trying to force him into Easter, his sister is evil, all of the guardians hate him… if he's not on Easter's side, but our side doesn't want him either… then what? He's… He's all alone…' she was surprised to find her cheek wet with tears. She couldn't stay down there any longer. She silently ran upstairs to her room. She had to be with him. She had to be there for him. She knocked softly on the door.

"Ikuto-kun? Can I come in?"

There was no answer, so she pushed it open. She was shocked to see that he wasn't in bed. "Ikuto!" She exclaimed softly, scanning the room in barely suppressed panic. He wasn't in the closet, or under the bed… she flicked on the light in the bathroom, and that's where she found him. He lay on the bathroom floor, curled in a ball. He had obviously vomited, and Amu felt her worry increase, if that were possible. 'Poor thing…' she thought. 'He can't even keep down water…' that's all he had consumed since the incident earlier. She covered him up with a blanket, and she stayed with him for the night.

Over the next week, Ikuto eventually regained his health. When he was finally leaving, Amu found herself almost regretting she had helped him get better. If he was still sick, he could stay… 'But all good things must come to an end…'

This thought didn't comfort her at all, and stray tears rolled down her cheek.

"What?" asked Ikuto. "Sad I'm leaving?" he teased.

"Y-yes…"

He was obviously shocked. Amu guessed that no one had said that to him in a long time. "I…I'll visit, I promise."

"I-I know, but what will you do until then? Where will you stay?"

"I have a room at Easter. I usually stay there. They're probably hunting me down right now…" he sighed.

He put an arm around her shoulder and whispered into her ear "Thank you."

**--Owara--**


	2. Back again

**Thank You has an unplanned chapter 2, thanks to everyone's enthusiasm! This was going to be a one-shot, but I've gotten reviews and people putting this story on "story alert" or whatever, saying that you want more! And for that, I am grateful! I apologize to those of you waiting for updates on any of my junjou romantica stories! I swear, I'll write them!**

**I apologize, also, if Ikuto seems a little OOC in this chapter, because I think he does XD**

**Disclaimer: Sakuya Nanako does not own Shugo Chara… :(**

Thank You, unplanned chapter 2!

Tsukiyomi Ikuto warily pushed open the front door of the little house rented out to his family by Easter, afraid of what he'd find. He lived with his father, when he was home, and Utau was on tour so often, it was like she had moved out. He desperately hoped his father would be out… Ikuto knew it would not be pretty upon facing him, as Ikuto had been gone for an entire week, and his father had no inkling of where he'd gone. _It's not as if he'd care, really…_ Ikuto thought bitterly. _I don't even exist to him anyway._

Ikuto was unlucky, that gray afternoon, as he shut the pale, wooden front door behind him and quietly took off his shoes. He raised his eyes to find his father's menacing form hovering above him, anger radiating from his being.

"Where were you?" He asked quietly. Ikuto would rather he'd have yelled, because then, he wouldn't be able to hear the rage trembling in the older man's voice.

"I-I was at a friend's house. I'm sorry…"

Ikuto stumbled back as the slapping sound resonated through the empty hallway. He rubbed his stinging cheek, eyes averted.

"You are the most insolent little _brat_ I have ever seen." His father growled through clenched teeth. "You _know_ you have an 8:00 curfew, you piece of crap, and you missed it by an entire _week_!"

"I know, I'm sorry." Ikuto mumbled, afraid of what this man would do next.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, scum." He had advanced on Ikuto, backing him against a corner of the entrance hallway. He now grabbed the collar of Ikuto's black shirt and thrust him to the floor, his head hitting the hard wood paneling.

Ikuto curled up, partially from the pain and partially to protect himself from whatever was coming next.

"Please, it won't happen again! Stop!" Ikuto pleaded.

"'It won't happen again!'" His father spat. "'It won't happen again!' That's what they always say! And guess what? It always happens again! If I punish you now, maybe you won't do it again!"

"I won't, I swear!" Ikuto yelled, curled up against the kicks aimed at him.

"If it happens again, you're going to wish you were never born!" Yes, the phrase was rather cliché, but having his father scream it at him made it all the more terrifying. And, the worst part was that his father was probably right. _But, it's a bit late for that, isn't it._ He thought, not meaning it as a question, but as a statement.

His father released the last of his rage on Ikuto with a few last kicks, and then spun around and stomped off down the hallway, turning left into the kitchen.

Yoru had watched this scene helplessly, hidden off to the side, and now he flew over to the pale and shaking Ikuto.

"Come on, nyah! Let's get out of here!" Yoru said into his ear. Ikuto could only nod. He slipped his shoes back on with great difficulty and ran from that house as fast as his legs would carry him, his cat ears flattened against his head.

By now, the sky was dark and the wind was colder than ever. Ikuto shivered and wrapped his arms around himself.

"We can't sleep out here nyah! You'll catch your death nyah!"

Ikuto just looked up at him, his eyes empty.

"Let's go to Amu's, Ikuto-kun!"

Ikuto shook his head. "We just came from there. I can't impose on her again. I'm not wanted there anyway." His voice was hollow.

"She cried when you left nyah." Yoru pointed out.

At this, Ikuto gave in and followed Yoru down the freezing, barren streets. Either he was convinced this was a good idea, or he had no will left to fight. Yoru desperately hoped it was the former.

They knocked on her door, Ikuto hanging his head. Amu pulled it open a few seconds later.

Her eyes widened in shock. "I-Ikuto-kun? What are you doing here?"

"Could I stay here again tonight?" Ikuto asked almost too softly to hear, looking at the ground.

"Um… yeah… come in…" Amu moved to the side to give him room to enter. He stepped into the warm light of her house, and she was shocked to see the cuts and bruises all over his face. "Iku…to… Wh-what happened?! You're hurt! Sit down!" She grabbed his cold hand to lead him to the couch, but he jerked violently away from her touch.

"N-no…" He backed away from her, hitting the wall. "It… It won't happen again…" He sank down, fingers dug into his hair. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry!"

Amu was alarmed now. She had never seen this strong, confident teen like this. He seemed so fragile, so broken… she crouched down to be on his level, her feathery pink hair swishing around her face.

"Ikuto-kun, it's okay." She assured him, pulling his shaking hands from him head and holding them gingerly in her own.

Tears fell freely down his cheeks as she stared into his eyes, trying to calm him down without words. Somehow, although she was scared for his well-being, she found this softer side of him rather attractive. She reached up with one hand and brushed away the tears, and he flinched away from her touch.

She leaned in closer to his face, touching his cut, chapped lips with her soft fingers. Finally, her own lips made contact with his.

His eyes widened in surprise, the tears continuing to fall. His tired eyes closed and he returned her kiss, pulling her closer to him.

His tears dried up with the pleasure of the kiss.

"You…" he whispered. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for that…"

Amu smiled softly, peering up at Ikuto's pale, tear-stained face. "Me too… I've been waiting for it, too…"

He pulled her soft, warm body to his cold one, now finding comfort in her touch.

They sat there against the wall, Amu in his lap, their fingers intertwined, until they fell asleep, the clock on the wall ticking away the hours.

As they drifted off, Amu could hear the faint whisper of Ikuto's breath in her ear. "Thank you…"

**There is, folks, Chapter 2 of Thank You! I'll do a third chapter if you really want me to, but as of now, there are no real plans for it. Gomen… I hope you liked it. I had really wanted to write something like this. Please review, thanks so much for reading!**


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